1. Micah Cutler GIS Administrator Harrison County Logan, Iowa
Mapping Principles: Making Your Map Look Good! IGIC 7th Biennial Conference Scheman Center Ames, Iowa August 30th - September 1st, 2005
Micah Cutler GIS Administrator Harrison County Logan, Iowa
Brad Cutler GIS Project Specialist Golden Hills RC&D Oakland, Iowa

2. Overview Elements of a Map Map Design Considerations Map Symbols
Principles of Color
Text Placement
Types of Maps
Projections
Elements of a Map
Map Design Considerations
Map Symbols
Principles of Color
Text Placement

3. Beginning the Design Process
When making a map, consider the following questions:
What elements need to be included on a map?
How should those elements look?
How should they be arranged?
When making a map, consider the following questions:
What elements need to be included on a map?
How should those elements look?
How should they be arranged?

4. TALDOGS T - Title A - Author L - Legend D - Date
O - Orientation
G - Grid
S - Scale
This acronym will help you remember what to include on a map.
T - Title
A - Author
L - Legend
D - Date
O - Orientation
G - Grid
S - Scale
Source: South Carolina Geographic Alliance

5. TALDOGS
T = Title
On a cadastral or road map, it is most likely the name of the county or area.
On a thematic map, such as house values, it should include the name of the area and the main subject of the map.
Ex: Eagle Ridge Subdivision
2003 Parcel Land Values
On a cadastral or road map, it is most likely the name of the county or area.
On a thematic map, such as house values, it should include the name of the area and the main subject of the map.
Ex: Eagle Ridge Subdivision
2003 Parcel Land Values

6. A = Author The organization or person who made the map.
TALDOGS
A = Author
The organization or person who made the map.
This also include the source of the data if it is different that the person who created it.
Examples:
The organization or person who made the map.
* It is up to the county if it should be a person or department. Personally, I just sign all my maps as Harrison County GIS because they will most like outlive me. I also like to put contact information.
This also include the source of the data if it is different that the person who created it.
Prepared by:
Harrison County GIS
Data compiled by the Harrison County Assessor’s Office.
Prepared by:
Harrison County GIS

7. L = Legend TALDOGS Explains the symbols used on the map.
Clear and easily readable.
Symbols should try and be the same size as they are on the map.
Examples:
Explains the symbols used on the map.
Clear and easily readable.
Symbols should try and be the same size as they are on the map.
There is some debate as to whether you need to include the word LEGEND or include obvious symbols if the map is very simple. Let your common sense guide you.
If you are unsure, include it in the legend.

8. All data posted is certified as of January 1, 2003
TALDOGS
D = Date
Always include when the map was created or the date of the original data.
I include a printed date and the date of the aerial photography, if appears on the map.
Examples:
Always include the date when the map was created or the date of the original data.
I include a printed date and the date of the aerial photography, if appears on the map.
Printed: 8 JUNE 2004
Digital Orthophotography flown on March 1, 2000.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
All data posted is certified as of January 1, 2003

9. TALDOGS
O = Orientation
Generally maps are drawn with North towards the top of the map and South towards the bottom.
Very localized maps such as those for shopping malls or parks are often oriented around the main point of entry.
Include a north arrow, even if it seems obvious – there are a lot of poor map readers out there!
Examples:
Generally maps are drawn with North towards the top of the map and South towards the bottom.
Very localized maps such as those for shopping malls or parks are often oriented around the main point of entry.
Include a north arrow, even if it seems obvious – there are a lot of poor map readers out there!
The style and size is up to you – make it fit the space.

10. G = Grid This is the most difficult at the county level.
TALDOGS
G = Grid
This is the most difficult at the county level.
Includes latitude/longitude; A-1, B-3 type grid, etc.
My personal opinion: the township and range/section boundaries provide a location grid.
Many software programs will automatically put on a latitude/longitude grid.
A “location map” (overview map) also works well.
This is the most difficult at the county level.
Includes latitude/longitude; A-1, B-3 type grid, etc.
My personal opinion: the township and range/section boundaries provide a locational grid.
Many software programs will automatically put on a latitude/longitude grid.
A “location map” (overview map) also works well.

11. TALDOGS
Overview Map
The overview map helps the map reader know where in the county he or she is examining.
The overview map helps the map reader know where in the county he or she is examining.

12. TALDOGS
S = Scale
A map's scale is a ratio that relates a unit of measure on a map to some number of the same units of measure on the earth's surface.
A map's scale is a ratio that relates a unit of measure on a map to some number of the same units of measure on the earth's surface.
Ex. A map scale of 1:25,000, tells us that 1 unit of measure represents 25,000 of the same units on the earth's surface. One inch on the map represents 25,000 inches on the earth's surface.

13. S = Scale The larger the number, the smaller the scale.
TALDOGS
S = Scale
The larger the number, the smaller the scale.
A map of an area 100 miles long by 100 miles wide drawn at a scale of 1:63,360 would be more than 8 feet square. To make the map a more convenient size, either the scale used or the area covered must be reduced.
The larger the number, the smaller the scale.
A map of an area 100 miles long by 100 miles wide drawn at a scale of 1:63,360 would be more than 8 feet square. To make the map a more convenient size, either the scale used or the area covered must be reduced.

14. Disclaimers
It’s always a good idea to include a disclaimer on your map. This one should look familiar:
The Data is provided “as is” without warranty or any representation of accuracy, timeliness or completeness. The burden for determining accuracy, completeness, timeliness , merchantability and fitness for or the appropriateness for use rests solely on the requester. Harrison County makes nor warranties, express or implied, as to the use of the Data. There are no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The requester acknowledges and accepts the limitations of the Data, including the fact that the Data is dynamic and is in a constant state of maintenance, correction and update.
It’s always a good idea to include a disclaimer on your map. This one should look familiar:
The Data is provided “as is” without warranty or any representation of accuracy, timeliness or completeness. The burden for determining accuracy, completeness, timeliness , merchantability and fitness for or the appropriateness for use rests solely on the requester. Harrison County makes nor warranties, express or implied, as to the use of the Data. There are no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The requester acknowledges and accepts the limitations of the Data, including the fact that the Data is dynamic and is in a constant state of maintenance, correction and update.

15. Putting it Together
Now that you know what should go on a map, it’s time to arrange the individual elements.
This is like decorating, there are some general “rules”, but it all comes down to personal taste.
Now that you know what should go on a map, it’s time to arrange the individual elements.
This is like decorating, there are some general “rules”, but it all comes down to personal taste.

16. Map Aesthetics
“The quality of a map is also in part an aesthetic matter. Maps should have harmony within themselves. An ugly map, with crude colors, careless line work, and disagreeable, poorly arranged lettering may be intrinsically as accurate as a beautiful map, but it is less likely to inspire confidence.”
-John K. Wright, “Map Makers Are Human,”
Geographical Review 32 (1944);
“The quality of a map is also in part an aesthetic matter. Maps should have harmony within themselves. An ugly map, with crude colors, careless line work, and disagreeable, poorly arranged lettering may be intrinsically as accurate as a beautiful map, but it is less likely to inspire confidence.”

17. 5 Principles of Map Design
CONCEPT BEFORE COMPILATION - Once concept is understood, no design or content feature will be included which does not fit it.
HIERARCHY WITH HARMONY - Important things must look important, and the most important thing should look the most important. Harmony is subliminal.
SIMPLICITY FROM SACRIFICE – It’s not what you put in that makes a great map but what you take out. The map design stage is complete when you can take nothing else out.
MAXIMUM INFORMATION AT MINIMUM COST - How much information can be gained from this map, at a glance.
Concept before Compilation Without a grasp of concept, the whole of the design process is negated. The parts embarrass the whole. Once concept is understood, no design or content feature will be included which does not fit it. Design the whole before the part. Design comes in two stages, concept and parameters, and detail in execution. Design once, devise, design again. User first, user last. What does the user want from this map? What can the user get from this map? Is that what they want? If a map were a building, it shouldn't fall over.  
Hierarchy with Harmony Important things must look important, and the most important thing should look the most important. "They also serve who only stand and wait." Lesser things have their place and should serve to complement the important. From the whole to the part, and all the parts, contributing to the whole. Associated items must have associated treatment. Harmony is to do with the whole map being happy with itself. Successful harmony leads to repose. Perfect harmony of elements leads to a neutral bloom. Harmony is subliminal.  
Simplicity from Sacrifice Great design tends towards simplicity (Bertin). Its not what you put in that makes a great map but what you take out. The map design stage is complete when you can take nothing else out. Running the film of an explosion backwards, all possibilities rush to one point. They become the right point. This is the designer's skill. Content may determine scale or scale may determine content, and each determines the level of generalization (sacrifice).  
Maximum Information at Minimum Cost (after Ziff) How much information can be gained from this map, at a glance. Functionality not utility. Design makes utility functional. All designs are a compromise, just as a new born baby is a compromise between its father and mother. The spark which makes a map special often only comes when the map is complete.  
Engage the Emotion to Engage the Understanding Design with emotion to engage the emotion. Only by feeling what the user feels can we see what the user sees. Good designers use Cartographic fictions, Cartographic impressions, Cartographic illusions to make a map. All of these have emotive contents. The image is the message. Good design is a result of the tension between the environment (the facts) and the designer. Only when the reader engages the emotion, the desire, will they be receptive to the map's message. Design uses aesthetics but the principles of aesthetics are not those of design. We are not just prettying maps up. The philosophy is simple, beauty (aesthetics) focuses the attention. Focusing the attention is the purpose of map design!
ENGAGE THE EMOTION TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSTANDING - Only when the reader engages the emotion, the desire, will they be receptive to the map's message. We are not just prettying maps up. The philosophy is simple, beauty (aesthetics) focuses the attention. Focusing the attention is the purpose of map design!
- Society of Cartographers

18. So What is a Good Map?
To really focus, you need to ask yourself these questions:
What is the goal of the map?
Who will read the map?
Where will the map be used?
What data is available for the composition of the map?
What resources are available in terms of both time and equipment?
1. What is the motive, intent, or goal of the map?
In effect, the question asks what the reader should gain from the map or how the reader should respond. Motives vary greatly. Many maps are intended solely to convey accurate information about spatial relationships, others to sway public debate.
2. Who will read the map?
A cartographer must be able to identify the type of reader being addressed for two principal reasons. First, it is important to have an idea about what the audience is likely to know about the subject matter of the map. Second, it is useful to know how much background the readers have in using maps. A map intended for specialists who have a background in cartography might be organized far differently than one intended for use as a prop in a public debate.
3. Where will the map be used?
An audience is always addressed within a particular context or frame of reference which has a bearing on map design. Maps may be published alone, or in newspapers, magazines, journals, books, or atlases. They may appear in reports, term papers, theses, and dissertations. They may be used in lectures, briefings, presentations, speeches, and announcements. Some maps are used only once and then discarded. Others are intended to used for reference for decades or centuries. For these reasons, context can influence both the form and content of a map in ways both great and small.
4. What data is available for the composition of the map?
Decisions about map design are tempered greatly by source materials themselves, by what is available and how easily it can be communicated. Sometimes our source materials have limitations or are incomplete. They may present special problems of presentation because of technical terminology or because of the quantities of detail required to make a point. Some data needs to be qualified. These limitations must be considered from the very start of a project so that they can be addressed in the design of the map.
5. What resources are available in terms of both time and equipment?
Finally, one must consider the twin questions of how much time to invest in a project and what systems to use, whether manual or automated and, if automated, what type of software. Both questions are, of course, best addressed with experience. However, it is important to realize that production time drops dramatically with practice.

19. Map Composition Good map composition should:
Stress the purpose of the map.
Direct the map reader’s attention.
Coordinate the base and thematic elements of the map.
Maintain good cartographic conventions (TALDOGS).
COMMUNICATE.
Good map composition should:
Stress the purpose of the map
Direct the map reader’s attention
Coordinate the base and thematic elements of the map
Maintain good cartographic conventions (TALDOGS)
COMMUNICATE

20. Simplify or Detail?
Good map composition should:
Stress the purpose of the map
Direct the map reader’s attention
Coordinate the base and thematic elements of the map
Maintain good cartographic conventions (TALDOGS)
COMMUNICATE
… depends on the scale and size of the final product.

21. Design Considerations
Visual Balance – use the natural shape of your county or region.
Look for “white space” that allows for text placement.
Visual Balance – use the natural shape of your county or region
Look for “white space” that allows for text placement.

22. Figure and Ground Organization
People tend to organize the visual field into:
Figures – important objects
Grounds – things less important
Use contrast distinguish important from unimportant parts.
People tend to organize the visual field into:
Figures – important objects
Grounds – things less important
Use contrast distinguish important from unimportant parts.

23. Contrast
Lines – labels, borders, neatlines, political boundaries, symbols, etc.
Line character – type and color
Line weight – thickness
Texture or pattern
Color
Visual acuity (measures the size threshold at which the eye can distinguish or read)
Don’t want symbols and text too small or too big
Lines – labels, borders, neatlines, political boundaries, symbols, etc.
Line character – type and color
Line weight – thickness
Texture or pattern
Color
Visual acuity (measures the size threshold at which the eye can distinguish or read)
*that is why maps are often designed to be printed at a specific size or scale
(show examples with Harrison County’s old maps)

24. Text Contrast
Masking text and symbols works well for giving “importance” and clarity.
Notice the text “Woodbine” and road names.
Masking text and symbols works well for giving “importance” and clarity. (explain masking)
Notice the text “Woodbine” and road names.

25. Contrast
The shading for water along the coastline provides nice contrast to the land.
Also notice that the text label for the water is italicized.
The shading for water along the coastline provides nice contrast to the land.
Also notice that the text label for the water is italicized.

26. Hierarchy
Contrast, shading, color, and text masking are all techniques used to create hierarchy.
The focus or most important part of the map “jumps” out at you first.
Contrast, shading, color, and text masking are all techniques used to create hierarchy.
The focus or most important part of the map “jumps” out at you first.
Text
Savannah
Other towns
States
Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina are different

27. Map Symbols
Take time to research commonly-used symbols and conventions.
Use line weights and colors to make your symbols stand out.
Take time to research commonly-used symbols and conventions.
Use line weights and colors to make your symbols stand out.

28. Map Symbols in ESRI Software
ESRI software comes with tons of symbols for lines, points, and polygons.
Often these symbols can be modified slightly to get the exact look you are after.
ESRI software comes with tons of symbols for lines, points, and polygons.
Often these symbols can be modified slightly to get the exact look you are after.

29. Why Use Color?
Color simplifies and clarifies, as well as unifies various map elements.
Color affects the general perceptibility of the map.
Color elicits subjective reactions to the map. People respond to colors; it creates mood.
Color simplifies and clarifies, as well as unifies various map elements.
Color affects the general perceptibility of the map.
Color elicits subjective reactions to the map. People respond to colors; it creates mood.

30. Color Wheel
Many believe that providing complementary colors in a composition establishes stability.
Complementary colors are opposite on the color wheel.
Many believe that providing complementary colors in a composition establishes stability.
Complementary colors are opposite on the color wheel.

31. Color Balance
Use color balance so that dominant colors occupying large areas do not overpower the remainder of the map.
Since areas are fixed in geography, only choice of color is possible when planning balance.
Remember – what is pleasant to one map reader may not be pleasant to another.
Use color balance so that dominant colors occupying large areas do not overpower the remainder of the map.
Since areas are fixed in geography, only choice of color is possible when planning balance.
Remember – what is pleasant to one map reader may not be pleasant to another.

32. Map Lettering
Map lettering should be viewed first as a functional symbol, only secondarily as an aesthetic object.
Need to consider:
Selection of lettering type
Placement on map
Map lettering should be viewed first as a functional symbol, only secondarily as an aesthetic object.
Need to consider:
Selection of lettering type
Placement on map

33. Choosing Text Style
When considering text styles, keep the following points in mind:
Legibility of individual letters (don’t want to confuse c and e or i and j).
Avoid extremely bold forms.
Select a typeface with a relatively large x-height relative to lettering width.
Don’t use decorative typefaces – too difficult to read.
When considering text styles, keep the following points in mind:
Legibility of individual letters (don’t want to confuse c and e or i and j).
Avoid extremely bold forms.
Select a typeface with a relatively large x-height relative to lettering width.
Don’t use decorative typefaces – too difficult to read.

34. Point Label Placement
Chart at the right shows the preferred order of text placement around a point.
Text should be horizontal if possible.
Town names should be located on the side of the river on which the town is located.
Chart at the right shows the preferred order of text placement around a point.
Text should be horizontal if possible.
Town names should be located on the side of the river on which the town is located.

35. Linear Feature Label Placement
Linear features: rivers, streams, roads, railroads, paths, airlines, etc.
Repeat as often as necessary to facilitate its identification.
Ideal location is along a horizontal stretch.
Prefer italicized labels for hydrology features.
Linear features: rivers, streams, roads, railroads, paths, airlines, etc.
Repeat as often as necessary to facilitate its identification.
Ideal location is along a horizontal stretch.
Prefer italicized labels for hydrology features.

36. Areal Features Label Placement
Ideally, put the label entirely inside the polygon feature.
Don’t hyphenate names.
If lettering is not horizontal, make sure it deviates significantly, so that its placement won’t look like a mistake.
Never position text so that parts are upside down.
Ideally put the label entirely inside the polygon feature.
Don’t hyphenate names.
If lettering is not horizontal, make sure it deviates significantly, so that its placement won’t look like a mistake.
Never position text so that parts are upside down.

37. Title and Legend Text
Titles are generally most important – largest type size.
May position title or title boxes overlapping other features.
Legend materials medium – reflect their position in the hierarchy.
Map sources, notes, etc. in the smallest type size.
Titles are generally most important – largest type size.
May position title or title boxes overlapping other features.
Legend materials medium – reflect their position in the hierarchy.
Map sources, notes, etc. in the smallest type size.

38. Questions? Comments? Opinions?

39. Thank you! Micah Cutler GIS Administrator Harrison County 712-644-1324
Brad Cutler
GIS Specialist Golden Hills RC&D